Latch and lock structure

ABSTRACT

A latch and lock structure for a door wherein the latch means includes a bolt and is pivotally mounted upon the door for movement around an axis substantially perpendicular to the plane of the door when it is in the closed position. The latch means has an end portion with a recess opening radially of said axis. A bracket is secured to the door for engagement by the latch means when it is in the latched position. The shackle of a padlock is secured to the bracket and the body of the padlock is in a locked position relative to said shackle when said body is in said recess and when said latch means is in said latched position.

United States Patent Smith et a1.

LATCH AND LOCK STRUCTURE Inventors: Vernon 0. Smith, Ashley; John W.

Binns, Marion, both of Ohio Overhead Door Corporation, Marion, Ohio Filed: Dec. 16, 1971 Appl. No.2 208,861

Related US. Application Data Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 20,565, March 18, 1970, Pat. No. 3,642,314.

Assignee:

US. 01 ..70 100, 70/55, 70/203, 70/212, 292/104, 292/106, 292/Dig. 36

Int. Cl 5050 65/16 Field 61 Search 70/44, 45, 46, 100, 70/137, 202, 203, 211, 212; 292/104, 106, 113, 114, 205, 207, 240, 241

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1879 Hartel et al 70/150 2,223,876 12/1940 Scanlan 70/91 3,514,142 5/1970 Smith 3,606,423 9/1971 McCarthy 292/148 Primary Examiner-Albert G. Craig, Jr. Attorney-Woodhams, Blanchard & Flynn [57] ABSTRACT A latch and lock structure for a door wherein the latch means includes a bolt and is pivotally mounted upon the door for movement around an axis substantially perpendicular to the plane of the door when it is in the closed position. The latch means has an end portion with a recess opening radially of said axis. A bracket is secured to the door for engagement by the latch means when it is in the latched position. The shackle of a padlock is secured to the bracket and the body of the padlock is in a locked position relative to said shackle when said body is in said recess and when said latch means is in said latched position.

7 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures LATCH AND LOCK STRUCTURE This application is a Continuation-in-Part of Pat. application Ser. No. 20,565 filed Mar. 18, 1970, and entitled GRAVITY-ACTUATED LOCK, now US. Pat. No. 3,642,314 issued Feb. 15, 1972.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to a latch and lock structure for a door and, more particularly, to a type thereof adapted for mounting upon an upwardly acting truck door, the latch means being capable of automatic self-adjustment to compensate for looseness, and the lock means including tamper-proof padlock means for holding the latch means in its latched position.

Persons familiar with the manufacture, installation and maintenance of doors, particularly upwardly acting doors for truck vans, for example, have long been aware that the latch structures in such doors are subject to unusually rough treatment, even under substantially normal operating conditions. That is, truck doors and their latch structures are constantly exposed to the weather, they are often strained by the loads carried in the truck van or battered by external obstructions and they are frequently subjected to excessive and destructive forces, sometimes intentionally for the purpose of effecting unauthorized entrance to the truck van. As a result of the foregoing, any looseness in the latching mechanism, which may develop from normal wear, from improper initial installation, or from lack of available adjustability, is quickly magnified and accelerated to produce abnormal wear or even complete failure.

Where looseness exists between the latch bolt on a door and the catch on the truck bed, the result is a dancing door which is not only noisy and unsightly, but also aggravates the wear problem and usually accelerates latch and/or lock failure. Moreover, if the door is counter-balanced and there is looseness in the latching mechanism, the door will tend to vibrate or dance even when the vehicle is moving along substantially level terrain.

In order to prevent unauthorized entrance into the van of the truck, the door latch structure is usually furnished with some type of mechanism, such as a padlock, which releasably holds the door latch handle in the engaged position. However, due to the rough treatment which truck doors usually receive and, further, due to the importance of preventing unauthorized access to the cargo in the truck van, it is necessary to furnish expensive padlocks with the door latching mechanism. Accordingly, these padlocks become attractive subjects for theft and the cost of padlock replacement for the larger trucking companies often reaches thousands of dollarsper year.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention has been the provision of an improved latch and lock structure for a door, such as an upwardly acting truck door, wherein the latch mechanism is adapted to adjust automatically for, and thereby minimize, looseness between the door and the truck bed resulting from normal wear, minor inaccuracies of installation and/or acceptable tolerances in parts, whereby the useful life of the latch and lock structure and/or the door is extended.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a latch and lock structure for a door in which the latch mechanism includes an elongated handle pivotally mounted upon the door and a padlock mechanism, the shackle of which is rigidly secured to the door, said padlock being engageable with the latch handle for holding same in the latched position.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a lock mechanism, as aforesaid, which positively prevents pilferage of the lock mechanism and minimizes the possibility for unauthorized opening of the lock, as by force.

Other objects and purposes of the invention will become apparent to persons familiar with latch and lock structures, particularly for upwardly acting truck doors, upon reading the following descriptive material and examining the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a broken, fragmentary rear elevational view of a truck door and an adjacent portion of a truck bed including the latch and lock structure embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line VV in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 5 with parts thereof located in different operational positions.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VII- VII in FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line VIII- VIII in FIG. 2.

FIG. 9 is a broken and fragmentary sectional view substantially as taken along the line VV in FIG. 1 and illustrating a modified structure.

For convenience in description, the terms upper, lower, front, rear and words of similar import will have reference to the latch and lock structure of the invention and the parts of the truck door associated therewith as appearing in FIG. 1 which discloses the rear side of the door. The terms inner, outer and derivatives thereof will have reference to the geometric center of the latch and lock structure of the invention and parts thereof or associated therewith.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The objects and purposes of the invention, including those set forth above, have been met by providing a latch and lock structure comprising catch means mounted in the bed of a truck or similar vehicle and a latch mechanism mounted upon the lower end of an upwardly acting door of the truck van and having a latch bolt including an elongated hook portion engageable with the catch means. The latch bolt is pivotally mounted upon the door and is moved into the latched position by an actuating member which is releasably held in its latching position by a tamper-proof lock mechanism. Gravity also opposes release of the latch bolt from its latched position. The actuating member is held away from its latching position by a keeper.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION I The latch and lochv structure .of the invention, a preferred embodiment of which is disclosed in FIG. 1, is comprised of a latch assembly 11 mounted upon the lower end of an upwardly acting door 12 for engagement with a catch assembly 13 that is mounted in the bed 14 of an otherwise substantially conventional truck van,- of which the door 12 is a part. The door 12 may be comprised of a plurality of horizontally hinged sections which are disposed in a substantially vertical plane, when the door is closed, and in a substantially horizontal plane near the roof of the van when the door is open. A resiliently flexible weather seal (FIG. 1) is mounted on the lower edge of the door 12 and is engageable with the bed 14 is a conventional manner and for conventional purposes.

The catch assembly 13 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is comprised of an elongated, substantially rectangular casing 17 having a top flange 18, a pair of sidewalls 19 and 20 (FIG. 1) and a pair of end walls 21 and 22 (FIG. 6). The sidewalls 19, 20 and the end walls 21, 22 define a catch chamber 23 which preferably opens upwardly to receive the latch bolt 47 and downwardly for drainage.

The top flange 18 (FIG. 1) preferably extends beyond both end walls 21, 22 and the rear sidewall 20 for engagement with the upper surface 26 of the bed 14 when the casing 17 is located within the opening 27 in the bed 14. The top flange 18 may be secured to the bed 14 by welding, by screws or any other convenient, conventional means. The catch assembly 13 includes a catch pin 29, which is secured to and extends between the sidewalls 19 and 20 of the casing 17 about midway between the end walls 21 and 22. The latch assembly 11 (FIG. 1) has a mounting plate 31 which is secured to the rear surface of the door 12 adjacent the lower edge thereof by means of rivets 32. The front end of the axle 30 is rigidly secured to the mounting plate 31 by means such as welding and/or staking.

A manually operated actuating member 33 (FIGS. 1 and 2), which is rotatably supported on axle 35, is comprised of a housing 34, the details of which are disclosed in the copending application Ser. No. 20,565 of which this application is a Continuation-in-Part. The actuating member 33 (FIG. 1) has an' integral arm or handle 43 which projects from the housing 34 lengthwise thereof and substantially radially of the axle 35.

The latch bolt 47 (FIG. 1) has a shank 48, which is rotatably supported at its upper end upon the axle 35, and an elongated, arcuate hook 49 integral with the outer end of the shank 48 and having a slightly cammed inner surface 51. The portion of surface 51 adjacent shank 48 is nearer to axle 35 than is the portion of surface 51 adjacent the free end of the hook 49. The center of gravity of the latch bolt 48, when it is pivotally supported by axle 35 is near the shank 48. Thus, gravity urges latch bolt 47 into its locked position of FIG. 1.

An unlatched keeper 53 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is pivotally mounted upon a pivot pin 54 which is rigidly secured to the mounting plate 31 near the housing 34. The keeper 53 has a hook 56 near one end which is engageable with a flange 57 (FIG. 2) on the housing 34 whereby the actuating member 33 and bolt 47 are held in their unlatched positions, which are approximately 180 from their latched positions of FIG. 1.

The free or rightward end of the handle 43 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 9) has a C-shaped portion 61 which, in this embodiment, opens radially outwardly, relative to the axle 30.

The lock assembly 62 (FIGS. 4, 5 and 8), which ineludes the portion 61 of handle 43, also includes the rectangular casing 63 that is preferably fabricated from steel. The casing 63 (FIG. 3) has a top wall 65, bottom wall 66, rear sidewall 67, front sidewall 68 and end wall 69. A pair of flanges 72 and 73 (FIG. 7) are integral and preferably coplanar with the sidewall 68 and extend away therefrom for mounting the casing 63 on the door 12 by means such as rivets 74.

The top and bottom walls and 66 (FIG. 8) have aligned openings 76 and 77, respectively, adjacent the end wall 69 through which the lower leg 78 and bight 79 of the C-shaped portion 61 can move into the positions thereof shown in FIG. 8 from the positions thereof shown in FIG. 9. When the C-shaped portion 61 is in its FIG. 8 position, lateral extensions of the upper leg 82 (FIG. 7) bear against the upper surface of the top wall 65 to positively limit downward movement of the portion 61.

A- pair of steel rods 83 and 84 (FIG. 6) are rigidly secured, as by welding, to the end wall 69 and extend in spaced and parallel relationship rightwardly from said end wall. The rods 83, 84 and the end wall 69 take the place of a U-shaped conventional shackle for the padlock body 86 from a conventional padlock which is operated by a key 87. The rods 83 and 84 have conventional recesses 88 and 89, respectively, into which are received cooperating parts (not shown) within the body 86 when the same is in its locked condition of FIG. 5.

As shown in FIG. 8, the body 86 is disposed between the legs 78 and 82 when it is in its locked position adjacent the bight 79, thereby positively preventing upward, or downward, movement of the C-shaped portion 61 relative to the casing 63, hence, relative to the door 12. One of the rods 83 and 84 has means, not shown, for limiting rightward movement of the body 86 relative to the casing 63, about to the position shown in FIG. 6, by conventional means not shown, but normally utilized in many padlocks.

It will be seen that the C-shaped portion 61 can open radially inwardly, relative to the axle 30, and produce the same results provided that the lock body 86 is relocated radially inwardly of the C-shaped portion.

OPERATION The operation of the door latch and lock structure described above will be apparent from such description to a person or ordinary skill in the manufacture of truck door latches and locks. However, primarily for the purpose of convenience, the latch and lock operation will now be summarized.

When it becomes desirable to latch the assembly 11 the padlock body 86 (FIG. 5) is unlocked and moved rightwardly into its FIG. 6 or 8 position so that the C- shaped portion 61 can move through the openings in the top and bottom walls of the casing 63. The handle 43 (FIG. 1) is raised slightly so that the book 49 of the latch bolt 47 can engage the pin 29 in the catch assembly 13, and the door 12 is now moved downwardly so that the seal 15 (FIG. 5) will be close to or in engagement with the bed 14 of the truck van. Ordinarily, the latching movement of the handle 43 will commence from its unlatched position (not shown) in which it is releasably held by the keeper 63.

Since the upper surface 51 of hook 49 is cammed, the free end thereof passes easily beneath the pin 29 until the surface 51 firmly engages said pin. The latch assembly 11 and catch assembly 13 are preferably installed on the truck so that the pin 29 is snugly engaged by the midportion of the cammed surface 51 when the leg 82 (FIG. 7) is bearing against the top wall 65 of casing 63.

As the handle 43 is moved into the latched position of FIG. 1, engagement of the hook shank 48 by the member 33 forces a clockwise movement of the bolt 47, thereby ensuring a firm engagement between the surface 51 and the pin 29. Thereafter, should the door 12 be jarred or shifted downwardly, as during operation of the truck, gravity urges the latch bolt 47 in a clockwise direction thereby taking up any slack that may develop between surface 51 and pin 29.

After the latch assembly 11 has moved into its latched position, the padlock body 86, for example, is moved leftwardly (FIG. 6) along the rods 83 and 84, into its position of FIG. 5 wherein said body is disposed between legs 78 and 82 which holds the member 33 (hence the bolt 47) in the latched position of FIG. 1. When it becomes desirable to disengage the latch bolt 47 from the catch assembly 13, the padlock body 86 (FIG. 5) is unlocked and moved rightwardly (FIG.'

6) after which the member 33 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction. Counterclockwise rotation of the actuating member 33 causes the hook 49 of latch bolt 47 to move from beneath the pin 29.

After the bolt 47 is released from the pin 29, continued counterclockwise movement of the handle 43 brings the flange 57 (FIG. 2) into engagement with the hook 56 whereby the handle 43 is held in its unlatched or inoperative position.

Although a particular preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed above for illustrative purposes, it will be understood that variations or modifications of such disclosure, which come within the scope of the invention, are fully contemplated.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. Latch and lock structure for'holding a door in a closed position with respect to a door frame, comprismg:

latch means having handle means pivotally mountable on said door for movement between latched and unlatched positions, said handle means having a C-shaped end portion opening radially relative to the pivot axis;

bracket means adapted for rigid securement to said door adjacent said handle means when it is in said latched position;

padlock means having shackle means rigidly secured to said bracket means and having body means supported upon said shackle means for movement between locked and unlocked positions, said body means being disposed between the two legs of said C-shaped portion, when said body means is in said locked position and said handle means is in its latched position for positively preventing material pivotal movement of said handle means.

2. Latch and lock structure according to claim 1 wherein, the' door is upwardly acting and the handle means is pivotally mounted near the lower edge of said door;

wherein said latch means includes bolt means pivotally mounted on said door for movement around said axis; and

including catch means mounted to said door frame and engageable by said bolt means for positively holding said door adjacent said door frame when said handle means is in said latched position.

3. Latch and lock structure according to claim 1, wherein said bracket means includes a rectangular casing having parallel top and bottom walls and an end wall, said shackle means being rigidly secured to said end wall, and said top and bottom walls having aligned openings through which one leg and the bight of said C-shaped portion are receivable as said handle means is moved into the latched position, said body means being disposed within said casing for movement toward and away from said end wall.

4. Latch and lock structure for holding an upwardly acting door of a truck van in a closed position with respect to the truck bed said latch means having handle means moveable between latched and unlatched positions, comprising:

brackets means adapted to be rigidly secured to said door adjacent said handle means when it is in the latched position;

wall means on said handle means defining a recess opening in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of said handle means as said handle means approaches said latched position; and

padlock means having shackle means adapted to be rigidly secured to said bracket means, and having body means supported on said shackle means for movement relative thereto into and out of a locked position within said recess when said handle means is in said latched position.

5. In an upwardly acting door for the van of a truck having a bed with a catch recess therein and having a catch with a downwardly facing catch surface rigidly held within said recess, a door latch and lock structure, comprising:

an actuating member pivotally mounted upon the door near the lower edge thereof for movement around a pivot axis parallel with said bed when said lower edge is adjacent thereto, said member having a recessed end portion remote from and opening radially of said axis;

a latch bolt pivotally supported upon said door for movement around an axis parallel with the first mentioned axis and with respect to said actuating member, said latch bolt having a shank and elongated arcuate hook means extending sidewardly from said shank and adapted to extend below said lower edge of said door for snug engagement with said catch surface, whereby the lower edge of said door is held closely adjacent said bed;

bracket means mounted upon said door and engageable by said actuating member when said actuating member is in a position holding said hook means engaged with said catch surface; and

padlock means having shackle means, rigidly secured to said bracket means, and having body means movable into and out of a locking position within said recess in said end portion when said actuating member is in said holding position.

6. A structure according to claim 5, including a mounting plate rigidly secured to said door and axle means pivotally supporting said actuating member and said latch bolt, said axle means being rigidly secured to said mounting plate.

7. A structure according to claim 5 including cooperating stop means on said shackle means and said body means preventing disconnection of said body means from said shackle means. 

1. Latch and lock structure for holding a door in a closed position with respect to a door frame, comprising: latch means having handle means pivotally mountable on said door for movement between latched and unlatched positions, said handle means having a C-shaped end portion opening radially relative to the pivot axis; bracket means adapted for rigid securement to said door adjacent said handle means when it is in said latched position; padlock means having shackle means rigidly secured to said bracket means and having body means supported upon said shackle means for movement between locked and unlocked positions, said body means being disposed between the two legs of said C-shaped portion, when said body means is in said locked position and said handle means is in its latched position for positively preventing material pivotal movement of said handle means.
 2. Latch and lock structure according to claim 1 wherein, the door is upwardly acting and the handle means is pivotally mounted near the lower edge of said door; wherein said latch means includes bolt means pivotally mounted on said door for movement around said axis; and including catch means mounted to said door frame and engageable by said bolt means for positively holding said door adjacent said door frame when said handle means is in said latched position.
 3. Latch and lock structure according to claim 1, wherein said bracket means includes a rectangular casing having parallel top and bottom walls and an end wall, said shackle means being rigidly secured to said end wall, and said top and bottom walls having aligned openings through which one leg and the bight of said C-shaped portion are receivable as said handle means is moved into the latched position, said body means being disposed within said casing for movement toward and away from said end wall.
 4. Latch and lock structure for holding an upwardly acting door of a truck van in a closed position with respect to the truck bed said latch means having handle means moveable between latched and unlatched positions, comprising: brackets means adapted to be rigidly secured to said door adjacent said handle means when it is in the latched position; wall means on said handle means defining a recess opening in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of said handle means as said handle means approaches said latched position; and padlock means having shackle means adapted to be rigidly secured to said bracket means, and having body means supported on said shackle means for movement relative thereto into and out of a locked position within said recess when said handle means is in said latched position.
 5. In an upwardly acting door for the van of a truck having a bed with a catch recess therein and having a catch with a downwardly facing catch surface rigidly held within said recess, a door latch and lock structure, comprising: an actuating member pivotally mounted upon the door near the lower edge thereof for movement around a pivot axis parallel with said bed when said lower edge is adjacent thereto, said member having a recessed end portion remote from and opening radially of said axis; a latch bolt pivotally supported upon said door for movement around an axis parallel with the first mentioned axis and with respect to said actuating member, said latch bolt having a shank and elongated arcuate hook means extending sidewardly from said shank and adapted to extend below saiD lower edge of said door for snug engagement with said catch surface, whereby the lower edge of said door is held closely adjacent said bed; bracket means mounted upon said door and engageable by said actuating member when said actuating member is in a position holding said hook means engaged with said catch surface; and padlock means having shackle means, rigidly secured to said bracket means, and having body means movable into and out of a locking position within said recess in said end portion when said actuating member is in said holding position.
 6. A structure according to claim 5, including a mounting plate rigidly secured to said door and axle means pivotally supporting said actuating member and said latch bolt, said axle means being rigidly secured to said mounting plate.
 7. A structure according to claim 5 including cooperating stop means on said shackle means and said body means preventing disconnection of said body means from said shackle means. 